Eyepiece with nonabrasive cap member



1948. H. J. ENTER EYEPIECE WITH NON-ABRASIVE CAP MEMBER Filed March 5, 1947 v HAROLD J; ENTE I Zinmnto:

.damage when using the instrument.

Patented Aug. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES E YEPEOE WITH NONABRASIVE CAP MEMBER Harold J. Enter, Webster, N. Y., assignor to Banach & Lomb Optical Company, Rochester, v N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 5, 1947, Serial No. 732,508

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to eyepieces for optical instruments and the like and in particular relates to non-abrasive and'protective cap members attached to such eyepieces.

It is an object of this invention to provide an eye-piece of the above-mentioned type which has a non-abrasive cap member secured to its end portion to form an outer contact surface whereby scratching of a spectacle lens, worn by a user of the instrument, is substantially prevented when the spectacle lens contacts the eyepiece. It is a further object to provide such a device in which the cap member is secured in an efllcient manner to an eyepiece by improved means. It is a further object to provide such a device wherein the eyepiececap member is rugged, compact. easy to clean, and of pleasing appearance. Further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in this art by reference to the following description and accompanying drawing.

' v The single figure of the drawing shows a vertical sectional view. with parts in elevation, of a preferred form of my invention.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the drawing wherein an eyepiece tube is held in any suitable manner in a body tube ll of an optical instrument, such as, for instance, a microscope. The tube I0 is provided with a closure or lens mounting member l2 at its outer end, having an outer face-l3 in which a central lens openings i4 is formed. A lens I! is mounted in the lens opening It by suitable means such as a lens retainer IS in optical alignment with a second lens l6 arranged in the tube "I.

A pad or cap member ll of any suitable nonabrasive material which will not scratch glass. such as rubber or plastic, is secured to the lens mounting member l2 so as to overlie and cover the outer face l3 of the mounting member l2. At the center of the pad ii, an opening I8 is formed concentric with the lens opening M. The outer contact surface l9 of the pad is preferably molded to form a smooth convex ridge of partial toroidal shape around the opening l8 against which the user's spectacle lens may rest without For aesthetic eflect, the surface llmay be blended with the surface of the mounting member l2 as shown in the drawing.

10 lower side of the pad I! terminating peripherally in a shoulder 23. Circular boss 20 fits within the recess 22 so that shoulders 23 and 2| are inclose contact and said shoulders are inclined as shown or may be formed with reentrant portions so as to secure the cap member I! to the lens mounting member [2. As an aid to securing the cap member ll. cement 24 may be used on the contacting surfaces between the cap member and lens mounting member. suflicient clearance being provided therebetween to permit a satisfactory thickness of cement to be obtained. 7 g

In assembling this device the lens mounting member [2 is covered with the adhesive 24 on those surfaces in contact with the rubber cap member. The cap member I1 is then forceddown over the projection 20 and held in place until the cement dries after which the excess cement is 1 removed.

It will be seen that there is here provided a simple and effective protective cap of good appearance by which the objects of this invention are attained. It will also be noted that if the cement I! should loosen, the cap member I! will not fall ofl since the engagement of the inclined shoulders 23 and 2| prevents removal withouta definite effort. In addition all extraneous holding devices such as screws and protruding lips are avoided in mounting the cap member ll. While the cap member I! may be formed of 40 various types of non-metallic material which will not scratch the glass of a spectacle lens. I'preferably make cap I! of a semi-soft rubber which may be molded.

Although but a single embodiment of this invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments are possible and that changes may be made in the de-- tails thereof or arrangements of the parts and so substitutions may be made therein without dey 3 parting from the t oi the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Iclaim:

'In an optical instrument eyepiece. the comblnation of an eyepiece tube closed at its outer end by a lens mounting member having a central opening, a boss projecting above the suriace oi the member around the opening, a shoulder on said boss forming a reentrant portion, and an annular cap member overlying the suriace oi the mounting member, said cap member having an annular recess with a peripheral 'reentrant'portion, said 1 portions cooperating to hold the cap member on the mounting member. said cap member being contact therewith.

' mom) ENTER.

4 BEFEBENGES man The following references are oi record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 967,143 Arriaga Aug. 9, 1910 1,229,117 Mihalyi June 5, 1917 1,270,771 Banach July 2, 1918 1,482,893 Hart Feb. 5, 1924 2,351,747 Exkert June 20, 1944 2,381,101 Bausch Aug. 7, 1945 2,388,051 Guellich Oct. 30, 1945 

